Listen To My Heart
by Endless-Sorrow1
Summary: Can't love between cousins blossom? Why must it be forbidden? Sendoh Akira finds out why... when he falls in love with beautiful Rika. Will it be tragic or true happiness? Plz review, arigato!
1. The Staring Sendoh

Listen to My Heart  
  
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This is my first try at writing fanfiction, but I've chosen to write Slam Dunk. cos' it's my fave! The title was picked from one of Korean & Japanese pop singer BoA's songs.. Anyway thanks 4 reading, hope u enjoy it. n pls don't giv me any damn flames, okay? Arigato, suckers!  
  
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"Shut your gap, you crappy ass!"  
  
"W..What did I say?" Sakara stammered as she looked into Rika's eyes. The bright blue eyes, with a tinge of dark purple, was flashing angrily at her. Her friend stood up quickly and snapped, "Just get lost!"  
  
With that, Rika whirled around and walked away. Her waist-length reddish- gold hair flounced in the wind as the athlete strode away, with many boys in the canteen staring at the both of them. . "Why were you so furious today?" Michi asked curiously to Rika as both of them walked to the basketball court.  
  
"Forget it." Rika replied shortly. Her mind was on the basketball and what had happened the day before.  
  
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Flashback to 'yesterday'.  
  
"Get away! What are you doing?" Rika screamed as she shoved Tori away. "C'mon, it's nothing! Sakara said you have done it tons of times." Tori grinned, shaking his head of blond hair.  
  
"Oh, Sakara said that, uh? I've never done that, and will never! Go away!" Rika snapped at a surprised Tori before dashing out of Sakara's house.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ She was Ryonan's new basketball star, Rika Kawamura. With a hot figure and a quick temper to match her vicious tongue, she had definitely taken over Sakara as the most desirable girl in Ryonan. Certainly, the Ryonan basketball boys were smitten with her. Even Sendoh Akira went out of his way to send her home each day after practice with a lame excuse of 'It's too late, it's not safe for a girl like you.'  
  
Rika began to warm up. She was still mad at Sakara, whom had left her to Tori (Sakara's brother) alone in the house. Michi looked at her, wondering what had happened. She seldom saw the calm, pretty Rika so agitated.  
  
"Hi, Rika! You're early! Oh, Michi's here too, eh?" Sendoh smiled dazzlingly at the two girls. Michi swooned, her eyes becoming heart-shaped. ( Now won't you do that? I mean, he's Sendoh!)  
  
Rika glanced at him and a sunny smile flickered over her face. Snuff. In a second, her stony silence returned. Sendoh was a little surprised. No girl ever did that to him when he presented his trademark grin. Rika was the first.  
  
"Tell you what, how about a one-on-one?" Sendoh offered generously. Michi hurriedly said that she had to go and left. She was not that interested in basketball.  
  
Rika nodded. They started off with Sendoh as the defender. Sendoh studied her interestedly, his eyes traveling over her slim, slender body and her smooth face with its intense eyes.  
  
Swoosh. In a second, she had swept past him. He had been too busy looking at her and neglected to defend her properly. Sendoh cursed himself and tried to block her, but it was too late. Within a second, she scored with a lay-up. As she descended to the ground, she stared at him.  
  
"You were looking at me, weren't you?" She asked fixedly, her two eyes fixed on him like twin gems. Sendoh nodded sheepishly and Rika said quietly, "many people say that you are a flirt, do you know that? A playboy, that's what they say you are. The great Akira." She smiled tauntingly.  
  
Sendoh blinked.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ How was that? Thanks for reading! I'll update it as quickly as I can and giv me 2 do dat. do me a favor and post some comments, but pls keep down the no. of flames. I'm juz a small writer u noe.*sob*  
  
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	2. You Thought Dat You Could Drug Me?? Drea...

Chapter 02 of 'Listen To My Heart' Name of 2nd chapter: U tot u could drug me?  
  
"Hey Rika, wanna join me tonight if you've got no plans on?" Sendoh offered cheerfully after practice on the same day.  
  
Rika raised her eyebrows and eyed the spiky-haired guy suspiciously, wondering what was going on. She had just given him a lecture on being a flirt that day and he was asking her out?  
  
Just as she was about to shake her head, Koshino stepped in and urged, "C'mon, are you chicken? Scared, right? Forget it, Akira, this coward will never dare to go."  
  
The Ryonan boys' laughter echoed irritatingly in her head and Rika was about to lose her temper.  
  
"Fine, fine! I'll go!" she relented. "Just let me go and change. Where are you all going?" Koshino and Sendoh winked at each other and made no reply.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"This is the place?" Rika asked disbelievingly, staring at the bright neon signboard of a pub.  
  
She was in a loose red shirt, long-sleeved and dark-gray slacks with a silver chain-belt around her waist.  
  
Sendoh looked a little offended. Without a word, he took hold of her wrist and led her in.  
  
Koshino followed after, grinning. As Rika stepped in, the first thing that came into her mind was:  
  
'This whole thing sucks.'  
  
"Hey Rika! Whatcha doing in this sleazy place?" A short-haired girl with an exaggerated figure ran towards her and pulled her away from a scowling Sendoh.  
  
"Sakura?" Rika asked in shock. It was her childhood friend.  
  
"You are with th. those guys?"  
  
"Yeah, what's wrong?"  
  
"Rika, they are regular flirts who spike drinks here every now and then!" Sakura gasped.  
  
Rika pulled away quickly from Sakura's grasp.  
  
"You've gotta be kidding." Rika responded breathlessly. "N.No, wait!" Sakura was left shouting.  
  
Sendoh had pulled Rika away hurriedly to a table at a dark corner. Rika shook herself from his strong hold and whirled around, eyes flashing.  
  
"Sakura said that you would try to drug me!"  
  
"You would believe that bitch?" Koshino chipped in, coming to Sendoh's rescue.  
  
Rika hesitated. She and Sakura had never really been that great friends. Was it worth giving up her and Sendoh's friendship?  
  
"Here, have a 'Blueberry Ripple'." Koshino grinned, passing her a cocktail glass with bright blue liquid inside. Rika glared at him crossly, debating whether to drink it or not.  
  
Within a second, she made up her mind.  
  
Slosh!!!!!!!!  
  
Sendoh and Koshino spluttered helplessly. Rika had splashed the cocktail at them in the blink of an eye. Around them, the patrons were trying desperately not to laugh out loud.  
  
Sakura was at the other end of the room, doubling over in silent laughter.  
  
"Still the unpredictable Rika as ever." she smiled wistfully, looking at the slim, triumphant figure who was now walking out of the sleazy pub.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ hi! I just got stuck halfway thru'. I didn't wanna make Sendoh become a 'rapist', so I resorted to this. But you'll probably get a surprise in the next chapter. so, continue reading! It's a nice surprise, though. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	3. Just how distant r we?

Chapter 03 of 'Listen To My Heart'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Next day in school.  
  
Rika had wiped the last night's episode off her mind and she strode into Ryonan High. Michi met her at the gate and grinned in admiration.  
  
"Hey, what you did last night was way cool!" she gushed.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You know, pouring all that cocktail over those two guys! No one's ever done that! The whole school knows about it now." Michi laughed heartily.  
  
"Oh, that." A slight smile crossed Rika's face as she recalled the events.  
  
"And although Koshino didn't care, Sendoh's mad, you know," Michi cautioned her friend. "He's been looking for you early this morning."  
  
Rika shrugged.  
  
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"Sendoh's following you, Rika," Michi whispered, looking at their back.  
  
"Go away, Michi. I'll handle this myself." Rika pushed her away and walked round a corner briskly.  
  
Sendoh spun round the corner and met Rika's expressionless eyes.  
  
"What are you following me for?" Rika asked him. Sendoh went red and denied the accusation heatedly, but Rika simply repeated the question.  
  
"Why did you pour cocktail on me for?" Sendoh shot back angrily. Behind him, a small crowd had gathered. Everyone was watching the two intensely, anticipating a quarrel.  
  
"Because I felt like it. Do you have a problem with that?"  
  
The crowd murmured appreciatively at the comment as Rika slouched against the wall, her eyes never leaving Sendoh's.  
  
"Yes, I do!" Sendoh shouted and pushed her hard against the wall. His arms came up to trap her in the awkward position. The air of excitement was rising.  
  
Rika's eyes went stone-hard and icy. "You'd better let me go," she hissed in a cold, dangerous tone.  
  
Sendoh looked rather surprised, but removed his arms after considering the unspoken threat for a moment. "And stop following me and Michi." Rika shot back after her.  
  
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"Are you still coming to my house?" Michi asked Rika. Just then, Rika's handphone rang. "Wait," Rika replied and answered her phone. It was her mother.  
  
"Rika, come home straight after school today. Your distant cousin just came to visit us." Her mother told her.  
  
"But I'm going to." Rika protested hurriedly, but her mother cut her short. "You either come home right away or you don't come home at all!" Then the line went dead.  
  
"Sorry, Michi," Rika apologized. Michi smiled and nodded understandingly.  
  
"Look, why don't you come to my house instead?" Rika offered. Michi's eyes lighted up and she nodded.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Just at Rika's doorstep.  
  
Rika froze right at the door, staring at the pair of jet-black sports shoes strewn at the door.  
  
"What's the matter?" Michi asked in concern. Rika pointed at the shoes.  
  
"That's Sendoh's shoes."  
  
"Coincidence?" Michi smiled. Rika shrugged, unconvinced. She just hoped that Michi was right.  
  
As Rika stepped into the living room, Michi trailing after her, a pretty woman in her mid-forties stood up. She had a head of gray-brown tresses, a face packed with baby fat and she still had a figure, unlike most ladies of that age.  
  
"Rika! It's been so long since I saw you! You are so tall and pretty now! Your mother says you play basketball. Akira plays the game too!" Her aunt exclaimed, greeting her with a hug.  
  
Rika smiled politely and asked, "Is Akira my cousin?"  
  
"Yeah!" A tall guy with spiky black hair came out of the kitchen.  
  
Rika groaned inwardly. It was Sendoh Akira, who also looked rather surprised to see her. Actually, Sendoh had been also thinking that his distant cousin might be her. But he was still caught off-guard.  
  
"Just how far apart are we?" she asked her mother, who was standing at one side.  
  
Her mother was caught off-guard by the question. Instead, her aunt answered with a beam on her face.  
  
"Oh, I'm the sister of your father, so it's not that distant."  
  
Rika forced a really, really painful smile.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Oops! Sorry, my story went a little out of control. there was supposed to be a surprise, but I just had to make changes. Sorry! I think I'll just develop this into a . no, I won't tell you first. I've learnt my lesson. Juz cant' make promises before hand. Plz review! Arigato.( ~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~( )~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~) 


	4. Berries, Sakuras, Violets, Forget-Me-Not...

Chapter 04 of Listen To My Heart  
  
"You get out this instant!" Rika hissed furiously to Sendoh once they were alone in her room.  
  
Sendoh had to smile.  
  
"It's not as if I wanted to come!"  
  
Mrs Kawamura poked her head around the door. "Getting along well? Come along, I've made some bento for you two."  
  
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"Man, why don't you let me woo her then?" Koshino laughed when Akira related their relationship to him.  
  
"C'mon, I mean, we still can date although we are cousins right?" Sendoh frowned and thought of it.  
  
Koshino turned serious. He stared at Sendoh and asked, "Akira, your mum is the old-fashioned type and will surely not approve of this! You must understand too that Rika doesn't like you much."  
  
"I still want to date her." Akira shook his head stubbornly.  
  
"Well then, try asking her to the annual Ryonan dance. It's just next week. sigh, which girl should I get as a partner?" Koshino pondered aloud.  
  
Sendoh grinned.  
  
"Thanks for the brilliant idea!"  
  
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"What kind of flowers does Rika like?" Akira cornered Michi after school.  
  
Michi laughed. Sendoh had been pestering her all day at school with questions of Rika's preferences. She had also been trying rather unsuccessfully to flirt with him, but he had not noticed.  
  
She finally gave up.  
  
"Rika? She is really weird. Guess what? She just loves a wrapped-up vase with bright orange and red berries, a few stalks of sweet sakuras. Throw in some violets, forget-me-nots and some angels' breath." Michi sighed.  
  
Sendoh stared at Michi blankly.  
  
"Bwahahahahahaha!" he exploded in laughter. "That girl sure has weird but unique taste!"  
  
The next day in school....  
  
"Rika, will you please come with me to the dance?" yet another guy asked confidently, brandishing a bouquet of red roses at her.  
  
Rika looked distastefully at the flowers, tossed her head, and walked away.  
  
One could almost hear the boy's heart break sorrowfully.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Rika stopped and turned around to see Sendoh running towards her.  
  
'Dear God, not another of those idiots! I don't want to go to any silly dance at all!' she screamed silently.  
  
"My dearest, beloved Rika, will you please accept this and come with me to the Ryonan dance?" Sendoh knelt down on a knee and gave her a beautifully- wrapped up gift which looked suspiciously like a vase.  
  
The surrounding people broke into laughter.  
  
Some girls screamed and went, "Akira, please don't!"  
  
The boys went, "Yet another fool. what a pity."  
  
Rika glared at him. Her face was red with embarrassment as the rowdy crowd began to cheer, "Open it, Rika! Open it!"  
  
She could feel her face burning as Sendoh looked up at her expectantly. 'I'm not his dearest, beloved!' she cried in her heart.  
  
Her smooth, long fingers mused over the white ribbon and untied it slowly.  
  
.  
  
. The wrapping paper slipped off smoothly to uncover a sweet-looking vase which was made of delicate, blue-stained glass.  
  
Arranged artfully were the few stalks of flowers which she had adored since she was a small child. Rika looked at the gift and gasped.  
  
The crowd was astounded. Did it mean that Rika would accept Sendoh as her dance partner?  
  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////// Thanks for reading! Sorry that I didn't update it quick! Please review. ( 


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